Up above the streets and houses...

If you're British and of a certain age (that probably means over 35), I defy you not to continue the lyrics in the title and sigh fondly at memories of men in Bungle suits and loud-mouthed puppets with zips for mouths. Ahh... those days of harmless childhood entertainment. Interestingly, if you pop onto YouTube for a trip down Nostalgia Avenue, you might find a few episodes that you don't recall seeing on TV... Watch with caution it may shatter your illusions forever!

Anyway enough nonsensical rambling; I have a global readership to take of who have absolutely no interest in learning that you can buy a George fancy dress costume on eBay for £49.99...

Let's move my writing onto the more serious matter of why there is a lady with rainbow-coloured hair sitting at the top of this post.

Well, this lady up top is Ellie. She had a mix up at the hairdressers when, during a freak storm, a rainbow shot down the drainpipe, entered the salon water system and turned her hair all the colours of ... well the rainbow.

Personally I think it suits her and, as they say, worse things have happened at sea. Not sure what her Mum will say when she gets home though... especially as poor Ellie has now become rainbow obsessed and felt compelled to paint Jessica using the water squeezed from her towel.

Both of these ladies are posted for the Butterfly Effect's rainbow challenge.

I'm in a strange mood this evening. I may have over-dosed on episodes of the Vampire Diaries (and the wine probably doesn't help either). Last night I dreamt mean and nasty Klaus was after me and then I couldn't understand why I dreamt about a boy I went to school with who I haven't seen in over 30 years... until I thought about his surname... Gilbert.... cue spooky Vampire music.... I do love the ridiculous plots though - it's almost on a par with the Apprentice for encouraging pointless shouting at people inside the television screen. I really should watch something more sensible - like Britain's Got Talent.

Anyway, it never being a good idea to write a blog post when slightly inebriated and with a day's work ahead of me come sunrise, I must away to my bed. Perhaps tonight I will dream where the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow might be hidden...

Pots of gold

I've flung every colour of the rainbow into this as I'm sure you can tell. As I was gazing into its depths trying to decide what to do next, what theme to pick, colour to lead with I pondered on the metaphor that links with my life. Yes, I'm about to get all deep and meaningful here... you may wish to jump a couple of paragraphs to where I start talking about the painting again and fairies and stuff...

Right now I feel like I'm experimenting with every opportunity on the creative spectrum. I can't resist trying something new, sampling this, dabbling in that. I'm not sure where my business should go either. The core is the writing and that's how it will stay. I love it and it pays the bills. Why ask for more?

But then there's this art thing... You see I adore painting. It does something deep inside me and awakens this little magic spark. I'm like this piece you see here - a bit here, a bit there, staring to focus on one thing but finding something interesting elsewhere to take my attention. Somewhere at the end of this is my pot of gold but right now I'm not sure where it is or what's in it!

I've taken some advice though and hoping to hone in how I can juggle both writing and art and make enough money to do all things I want to do (and buy more paint!). I just need to focus.

For now, back to the painting:

Using lessons learnt from Flora Bowley's classes at the Do What You Love retreat, I've layered up colour and texture. I've let colour flow and the painting come to me. Listening to your painting is quite something - I highly recommend it. I'm seeing the rich florals of a summer garden bursting into life in the heat of the sun. Or fairy lanterns perhaps dancing in the twilight. There's also the beginnings of the outline of a dancing woman. Where will it go?

Right now the focal points appear to be the areas of strong orange. Are they enough? Does the eye travel around the piece as it should? Was does it need to lift it to life?

While I leave you to ponder, I'll return to my 5 year plan. I'm determined to go places dear readers...

Appropriately, the theme at Inspiration Avenue this week is 'over the rainbow'.

PS: Thank you for all the get well wishes. They must have worked because I am feeling a whole lot better today. Big smiles and hugs all round.